


In The Small Hours

by moonbya



Series: Haikyuu!! Rare pair Week 2020 [7]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 4am talks, Alternate Universe - College/University, Boohoo, Fluff, M/M, Mismatched socks, Not Proofread, Roommates, Tendou Satori having an existential crisis, Tsukishima Kei thinks Satori is weird, cereal superior, idk what i wrote i have zero focus, im suffering from burn out, no beta we die like men, printed socks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24036625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonbya/pseuds/moonbya
Summary: Where Tsukishima Kei and Tendou Satori are roommates. Their 4am routine consists of Satori's mismatched socks, his existential crisis and a bowl of (usually soggy) cereal.;“Are you the type to have an existential crisis at four in the morning or are you normal?”
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Tsukishima Kei
Series: Haikyuu!! Rare pair Week 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1720675
Comments: 4
Kudos: 86





	In The Small Hours

**Author's Note:**

> Haikyuu!! Rare Pair Week  
> Day seven: Socks 
> 
> -
> 
> I'm three days late but what's new right? ahaha. I'm sorry my brain isn't galactic :((((((((

If Tsukishima Kei could describe his first impression of his roommate in one word, _weird_ definitely suits the red haired man. It’s been two months, but he could still remember the first day he moved in here like the back of his hand. The place was a mess, filled with junk and used clothes, but what caught his attention was the person standing in the middle of the room looking at him with such surprise and his peculiar taste in socks.

One sock reached his ankle while the other was up to his mid-calf, not only that but also different in color and crazy prints. Kei thought of running away that day.

But now that he spent eight weeks with his roommate and (sadly) tolerates his tomfoolery, Kei’s impression to this person has changed— _weirder_.

Every day, without fail, Tendou Satori would wake up a minute before four am, walk into Kei’s room (in which Kei always wondered _how the fuck could he get in? I always lock the door_ ) and wake him up by singing that certain Halloween song until he was at least half awake but already annoyed.

Satori would drag Kei into the bathroom, wearing matching pajamas that’s way too big for him and his infamous printed and mismatched socks, so that they could brush their teeth together. Then pull him to the dining room and serve him a different cereal each day, usually, no words were exchanged during this small hours (except on the first day where Satori couldn’t contain his excitement that he spoke too much and Kei could only introduce himself).

He won’t admit it but Kei actually finds the crazy socks kind of endearing, it looks kinda cute on him.

It’s quite nice, Kei thinks. To feel the serenity of the time past midnight and before sunrise as well as the comforting feeling of cereal helped him tone down the feeling of homesick, after all he moved here in Tokyo from Miyagi, he’s way too far from the people dear to him.  
  


When his eyes moved to glance at his roommate across from him, who always has that soft look in his eyes that shares the same color as his hair, a dark shade of red that reminded him of cherries and blood but there’s something else swirling in those eyes that he couldn’t put a finger on— nevertheless, Kei is still mesmerized.

“What are you looking at?”Kei snaps, Satori’s stares starting to feel like needles puncturing his skin. “Can we really hear our thoughts or are we just talking without sound?” The latter began, red eyes leaving the sight of Kei and moved to his bowl of cereal, using his spoon to stir and watched the few remaining pieces of cereal drown into the whirlpool made of milk.

_“What?”_ Kei repeated, suddenly uninterested to finish his bowl of cereal, a worried look on his face as if his roommate has gone insane.

“Do you think the after-life exists or we are reborn immediately after death?”

“Are you the type to have an existential crisis at four in the morning or are you normal?”

Satori’s attention came back to Kei, surprised but instantly became more curious, “Normal is relative, isn’t it? How would you define normal, Kei-kun? Don’t you think every person is an outcast because we’re all different despite the similarities we think we share?” He leaned back on his seat, cupping his chin and tapping a finger against his cheek. Eyes closed and brows knitted together, thinking deeply as if his whole life depended on it.

“Don’t call me by my first name, we aren’t on that level yet.” The tall blonde huffed, pushing his eyeglasses up to the bridge of his nose with his middle finger, wanting to hide the eye-roll he just did to someone who’s two years older than him. He’d rather show it but he doesn’t want to get kicked out of the flat.

“Maybe _you_ aren’t on that level yet but I am. You should catch up, Kei-kun.”

Kei could only sigh in defeat, it’s too early in the morning to get his day ruined and to argue with someone who’s currently having an existential crisis. Oh how he wishes for the sun to arrive and leave this place and the never ending voice of Satori ringing in his ears.

“Whatever, I’m leaving.”

“Hey, hey, you can’t. Stay here.” Satori grabbed Kei’s wrist before he could manage to escape within his reach, “The sun isn’t up yet, and I still wanna learn more about you. We’re roommates for two months now but you always ignore me.” He pouted, gently squeezing and tugging on Kei’s wrist. “Have you fallen in love before?”

He froze in his tracks, the memories of his past that was hidden to the deepest part of his brain was unlocked, his heart aching at all the pain he’s been through. “Yes,” Kei’s voice almost cracked, “And I regretted falling in love.”

“You’re still hurt?”

Kei remained silent, hiding his face from his roommate’s whose eyes are drilling holes to his body. “Love isn’t supposed to hurt, Kei-kun.”

Satori’s next words took him by surprise that his mind wasn’t able to comprehend. “Want me to change your belief in love?”

The atmosphere between the two grew heavy, or perhaps it was only Kei who felt that way; when he stole a glance to see the kind of expression Satori was wearing— let’s just say Kei didn’t expect a smile could be so sinister (or he might be over reacting a little bit). It goes on and on, each second feels like an hour and the absence of sound was started to be deafening.

_I’ll just pretend he didn’t say that._

Kei sat back down and grabbed the box of cereal, pouring its small contents to his left over milk. “How about you, Tendou-san? Have you been in love before?”

Satori grins, seeming to be a little too happy upon hearing the conversation flow nicely, “Yup, one too many times actually, and everything ended with a heartbreak.”

“Then, why do you keep on falling in love?” He asks, voice as light as a feather.

“What do you mean by why? Y’know, Kei-kun, I won’t back off to love just because there’s a possibility that I’ll get the shorter end. I don’t mind that.” He could read the visible confusion in Kei’s beautiful features, both of them not eating the now soggy cereal.

Satori continues, “This is just my philosophy when it comes to love. If the person I like shares the same feelings, then I’d give them my all.”

“I see,” Kei raised his head and meets the eyes of Satori— welcomed even. His gaze just feels so warm and comforting but at the same time a little scary, as if he was talking about him. And suddenly, Kei doesn’t want to talk about love anymore, this was just reminded how much of a coward he is. “I wonder…”

The red head hummed in response, chin resting on his palm.

“…Why are you wearing mismatched socks?”

“Why not? I think it’s cool. “

Kei let out a small exhale of relief, glad that Satori didn’t pointed out him dodging the topic they had before this. He got lost in his thoughts for a second, realizing that Satori and him are quite polar opposites; Satori being a morning lark, crazy pattern and colors, pop songs, likes dairy foods— while Kei is a night owl, prefers neutral colors and minimal to no prints, ballad music and lactose intolerant.

The only thing they’re similar in is their interest for cereal. Kei finds it a little funny, if he didn’t like it too, there’s probably no reason for them to talk like this. It’s nice and refreshing how Satori’s mismatched socks and love for cereal made Kei forget his little problems during these small hours.

“What’s on your mind, Kei-kun? You seem to be drowning in your thoughts. Mind telling me?”

“Ah, well—“

“Actually let me guess.”

Kei’s lips sealed immediately, annoyance bubbling in his stomach, on the verge of taking back the nice words he thought of.

“You’re probably thinking why I wake you at four in the morning, don’t you? Well, it’s because we’re always so busy we barely see each other during the later hours, so I want to at least steal some time and hang with you, y’know. I mean, we are roommates so we should be close. Pretty nice don’t you think?” Satori continues on his babbling and Kei felt his lips twitch into a small smile which he quickly hides behind a spoonful of soggy cereal.

“No… Well, maybe a little, but not that.” Kei chuckles, short and quiet. “I was actually thinking how cereal is our only similarity.”

Satori beamed, grinning widely and Kei suddenly felt like he was plotting something mischievous. “Not for too long.”

_Huh?_

By the time Kei got home after his classes, he saw a box sitting in front of the door to his room. He picked it up and took the post it that has the words **another similarity!! SA-TO-RI** in messy hand writing. He smiles and stepped in his room to open the box.

Kei felt his heart flutter a little upon seeing the content of the box. It was a pair of mismatched socks; the pair that Satori boasts about being his favorite. His cheeks burned, “I won’t shy away from love anymore, I guess.”

The next small hour routine came by again, and this time Kei was wearing the socks he received and Satori wearing the same pair as him. Today, the routine seems a little more heartwarming and carefree.

_This isn’t so bad, after all_ , Kei thinks.


End file.
